Maddy summaryThe COAL Act of 2025 requires the Department of the Interior to process pending coal lease applications that have started environmental review under federal law. It mandates the Secretary to publish draft environmental assessments, set fair market value, and grant these applications as soon as practicable. The bill also ends a 2016 federal moratorium on coal leasing that had halted new leases. This law directly affects coal companies with pending applications under the Bureau of Land Management's program and streamlines the leasing process for existing approved leases.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Border Lands Conservation Act directs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to install roads and surveillance technology on federal lands adjacent to the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada to enhance border security and operational control. It requires reports on environmental damage and wildfires caused by illegal border crossings, establishes a program to manage vegetation and reduce fire risks on border lands, and prohibits federal funding for housing undocumented immigrants on federal lands (except in detention facilities). The bill affects federal land management agencies, the Department of Homeland Security, and border states, while explicitly protecting tribal sovereignty and legal land uses like grazing and recreation.
Maddy summaryThis bill ensures uninterrupted food assistance benefits for SNAP recipients during a government funding gap. If Congress fails to pass full funding for the Department of Agriculture by September 30, 2025, the bill directs the Treasury to provide necessary funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing without interruption. It also covers missed benefits retroactively from September 30, 2025, through the bill’s enactment date. The funding stops once Congress enacts actual fiscal year 2026 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture. This directly affects approximately 40 million low-income individuals and families who rely on SNAP benefits.
Maddy summarySRES 457 is a symbolic resolution designating the week beginning October 19, 2025, as "Coal Week" in recognition of the coal industry's historical and ongoing contributions to U.S. energy, military readiness, and economic stability. It highlights coal's role in providing 19.5% of U.S. electricity in 2022, its global significance (36% of global electricity), and progress in reducing emissions from coal power plants. The resolution does not create new policy or affect specific groups, as it is purely commemorative. It was introduced by Senators Lummis, Hoeven, Lee, and others.
Maddy summaryThe STREAMLINE Act increases certain anti-money laundering reporting thresholds: it raises the currency transaction reporting threshold from $10,000 to $30,000 and adjusts suspicious activity report thresholds from $2,000/$5,000 to $3,000/$10,000. It also establishes automatic inflation adjustments for these thresholds every five years, based on the Consumer Price Index, rounded to the nearest $1,000. Financial institutions that file these reports (like banks and casinos) will be directly affected by the higher thresholds and updated reporting requirements. The bill requires the Treasury to review and streamline reporting forms within 360 days of enactment to improve efficiency in detecting illicit finance.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits all federal enforcement of emissions control requirements for diesel trucks. It directly affects diesel truck manufacturers, importers, distributors, and owners by eliminating all federal mandates (including under the Clean Air Act) for emissions control devices or onboard diagnostic systems on diesel vehicles. Key provisions repeal existing EPA regulations, prevent future rulemaking on emissions devices, and expunge past legal records related to non-compliance with emissions standards. The law would remove all federal legal barriers to modifying or removing emissions equipment from diesel engines.
Maddy summaryConnor’s Law (S 2991) requires commercial motor vehicle operators (like truck and bus drivers) to read and speak English well enough to converse with the public, understand English highway signs, respond to officials, and complete reports. It amends federal law to add this language requirement as a condition for operating commercial vehicles. Drivers found noncompliant by enforcement officers would be immediately declared "out of service" (removed from driving). The bill directly affects commercial drivers nationwide who operate vehicles under federal regulations. It does not change existing out-of-service rules for other safety violations.
Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 438) condemns Hamas for the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people - including 40 U.S. citizens - and took 251 hostages. It supports an outcome ensuring Israel’s "forever survival," destroying Hamas’s ability to regroup, and securing the release of all remaining hostages, including two U.S. citizens held in Gaza. The resolution also condemns antisemitic protests in the U.S. that damaged property and threatened Jewish Americans’ safety. As a non-binding Senate resolution, it expresses symbolic support for U.S. policy toward Israel but does not create new laws or allocate funds. It directly affects U.S. diplomatic positioning on the Israel-Hamas conflict and hostage negotiations.
Maddy summarySRES 434 is a resolution expressing the U.S. Senate's support for designating October 5-11, 2025, as "National 4-H Week." It recognizes the 4-H youth development program - which serves nearly 6 million young people nationwide through hands-on learning in health, science, and leadership - as a key initiative of the Cooperative Extension System and the Department of Agriculture. The resolution does not create new laws or impose requirements but symbolically acknowledges 4-H's role in empowering youth with leadership skills and community engagement opportunities.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution SRES 406 designates September 30, 2025, as "Impact Aid Recognition Day" to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Impact Aid program. The program reimburses school districts near federal properties (such as military bases, Indian lands, and federal facilities) for lost tax revenue, ensuring they can provide quality education. This resolution formally recognizes the program’s role in supporting over 1,100 school districts serving more than 8 million students across 4.7 million acres of federally owned land. It is a ceremonial resolution with no new policy changes or funding.